Please read 163 - 187. Then write one observation (open ended) with a quote as support. It can be about anything, but it must strike you as being particularly well done or insightful. Then, respond to one of your peer's posts.
Due: Friday, 5.17 (before class)
“wishing I were a Negro, feeling that the best the white world had offered was not enough ecstasy for me, not enough life, joy, kicks, darkness, music, not enough night”(163).
ReplyDeleteKerouac wished he was anything but white, which is significant considering the culture and historical time period he was in.This book was published even before the Civil Rights Movement occurred in the Sixties.
He envied racial minorities in America who were excluded in the dominant white culture. This indicates that Kerouac respected individuals and based his judgement on his own experience and interaction with them. He saw hope and freedom in these groups.
I thought this was an interesting quote as well, and connecting it with my post, I think that Kerouac saw hope in these people who were "beat" and oppressed by those who were against treating the minorities equally, since they were able to grow from their previous confinements as blacks.
Delete(taking from Mr. Phillips's essay) Unlike the Lost Generation before the Beats, they were caught up in disillusionment. I think that the Beats took on issues (like the racial ones) with a sense of curiosity and rolled with that, which might explain Kerouac's longing to experience being another race.
I also thought this was an interesting aspect of Sal. I think he has reached a stage in his life where after all the wilde road trips, he is starting to regret, and as he reflects on his life, he become more envious of the pure joy and ecstasy of others. This also brings out how Kerouac was disappointed with how the public took in On The Road, because it was a past he probably did not want to go back to.
DeleteI think we also see this in subculture today, I see a lot of so called 'hipsters' in my area these days cursing their white heritage because it gives them privilege in some ways. Of course Kerouac/sal doesn't want that responsibility. So yeah I think this quote is interesting and we see this attitude in places today as well.
Delete"..where once Dean would have talked his way out, he now fell silent himself, but standing in front of everybody, ragged and broken and idiotic.. He was BEAT - the root, the soul of Beatific" (177).
ReplyDeleteThis was the scene right after Galatea tells him off about being irresponsible and using other people for their money and his enjoyment. Unable to smoothly talk out of this whole situation, Dean just stands there, looking like an idiot. I liked how the word "beat" is used to describe Dean; how he was "beat" from all that Galatea said, and of course him belonging to the Beat Generation.
But a few paragraphs later, Dean seems to be like his usual self again, jumping into the car to get to the saloon for the night.
I agree with you Rina,
DeleteI like the syntax in the quote, the way Kerouac used "BEAT" to describe Dean was smart. Its nice to see a more diverse Dean, rather than his normal sporadic behavior, he is reflecting on his actions. Good character development.
I totally agree that this quote is important, because I had actually wanted to use it. It is important because the main reason Kerouac is so famous, is the idea of the beat generation, and his association with the word "beat". It is in this quote, that he finally names the ideology that defines all of his work.
Delete"Out on the dawn street dean said, 'Now you see, man, there's real woman for you. Never a harsh word, never a complaint, or modified; her old man can come in any hour of the night with anybody and have talks in the kitchen and drink beer and leave any old time. This is a man, and that's his castle.'" (185)
ReplyDeleteDean is super narrow minded.
But I don't completely blame him for his ideology of women. Being in prison gave him a warped reality of what a woman is meant to be. In this quote, it is obvious that Dean believes women aren't equal to men, and when he meets a girl who thinks other wise, Dean jumps to the next girl, hoping for complete dominance over her physically and mentally.
Isabel:
DeleteYes, I agree. The fact that he has at least 2 wives, and ends up sort of switching between the two, suggests he sees women as merely objects rather than people.
What I wonder is if this was a common mindset amongst the Beat generation, or whether it was just Dean.
When I read this quote, I also thought that Dean was being extremely unfair and narrow minded. However, I see your point and agree to the fact that his prison life may have affected his views on women. I think also that when he said those words, he was extremely tired of both Mary Lou and Camille. Mary Lou had caused him a lot of pain by marrying another man, and Camille had kicked him out of her house and was in miserable circumstances. Therefore, he was tired of women with strong minds, and wanted someone who would just smile and listen to him.
DeleteIsabel:
ReplyDelete"'Well,' said Dean in a very shy and sweet voice, 'shall we go?' 'Yes,' I said, 'let's go to Italy.' And so we picked up our bags, he the trunk with his one good arm and I the rest, and staggered to the cable-car stop; in a moment rolled down the hill with our legs dangling to the sidewalk from the jiggling shelf, two broken-down heroes of the Western night"(173).
For some reason, I LOVE this quote. I think the biggest reason I love it so much is that they're never going to go to Italy, and they both know it, but just the thought is enough for them. It's a very juvenile, young-love, dreamer sort of quote.
I also love 'broken-down heroes of the Western night'. Overall, I find this quote beautiful.
I liked this quote as well. By Dean realizing how much Sal worries and cares about him, their friendship intensified. Dean was able to recognize and respect things Sal thought of, which indicates his growth. Also, I think Sal has changed too; he used to stick around Dean because he was curious and devoted to Dean's madness and eagerness, but now he wants to be with him because they developed a brotherhood.
DeleteI agree with the part where they said they would go to Italy when they both know they won't.
I thought his quote describes the essence of going on a trip, which I really like. I agree how you mentioned that this is a dreamer quote. I especially like the part it mentioned about picking up their bags, because to me, that marks the start of the trip. I think the way the words are structured is put together really well, and beautiful at the same time.
Delete" Next to him was an old white bum; then a Mexican family, then some girls, some boys-all humanity, the lot. Oh, the sadness of the lights that night! the young pitcher looked just like Dean. A pretty blonde in the seats looked just like Marylou. It was the Denver Night; all I did was die" (164)
ReplyDeleteI think readers knew there was more to Sal than the adventurous, and spontaneous self, he was also dark and confused at times, I feel that this quote brings this aspect out more clearly. It's interesting how the section starts off with Sal explaining how he saw himself in Middle America, alone with none of the clang. He starts regretting the way he has lived his life, and envious of the joy and simplicity of the Black and Mexicans, but at the same time he seems to be searching for and shadow of Dean left in Denver. I think the impact Dean made on Sal's life is complicated.
This quote described Sal's solitary life, I guess Sal really needs Dean, and as Cathy said, Dean has a pretty profound effect on Sal. Sal also described how he wished to be an African American, a Mexican or even a Japanese person because he felt as if he was a "white man disillusioned" (164). This describe Sal's sad life and his longing to be with Dean although he somewhat hates him (?)
DeleteThis quote struck me as well. I agree with the other girls to how this represents the sorrow of Sal not being involved with Dean and the adventure itself. After the excitement that he experienced from the road trip, his usual life seems more dull and by comparing to others who have never felt that excitement of the road trip, they seem happier because they don't have that downfall either. I feel like Sal has been getting addicted to that sense of excitement; a kind of natural drug which again, comes back to the idea of the Beats, which is all about experimentation, thrills and excitement.
Delete"I'm classification three-A, jazz-hounded Moriarty has a sore butt, his wife gives him daily injections… I've never felt better and finer and happier with the world and to see little lovely children playing in the sun and I am so glad to see you" (169).
ReplyDeleteThis was a very lengthy paragraph, when Dean described how his life was a downfall after the incident with Camille, the baby and his thumb. I admire how Dean always finds beauty in something, although he isn't in the best situation. Although his life is unconstrained and generally a mess, he finds positive aspects in his life, which I wouldn't be able to do, even though my life is better than Dean's. I also found the paragraph very interesting, I thought it was constructed like a poem, where he repeated the same words in the beginning of the sentence. Well this paragraph stood out to me a lot.
"You'll see her tomorrow, my terrific darling beautiful daughter can now stand alone for thirty seconds at a time, she weights twenty-two pounds, is twenty-nine inches long. I've just figured out... seven-and-a-half-percent Scotch, one-hundred per-cent wonderful" (169).
ReplyDeleteI believe that this quote shows another side to Dean's character. Despite him being as wild and crazy as he is, he loves his daughter without question and really considers her to be a big part of his life. I think this quote shows that Dean is a human after all, and that he is just extremely irresponsible. Although he loves his daughter, he also loves many other things and cannot choose which one to prioritize. Therefore, although it may seem as if he is an extremely selfish person, I believe that Dean is just confused and doesn't really know where to put himself.
"I didn't think you'd actually do it. You've finally come up to me" (166)
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I have never thought of this; Dean has been always the one coming up to Sal. It always seemed like Sal was just going with the flow and that gave him a chance to escape from his responsibilities; therefore, Dean's selfish acts are more or less understandable since, he is the one creating the "road". However, this time it was Dean's turn to escape, especially from Camille; it makes sense that Sal is the one who came up to him.
It was too hard to pick, so I’m just going to put down 3.
ReplyDelete“Poor, poor Dean - the devil himself had never fallen farther; in idiocy, with infected thumb, surrounded by the battered suitcases of his motherless feverish life across America and back numberless times, an undone bird” (171)
I thought this was interesting because Kerouac refers to Dean as the devil, and also because this is probably one of the first time where he views Dean with pity, as opposed to awe and amusement at his wildness and spontaneity.
“and yet, I’ve never felt better and finer and happier with the world and to see little lovely children playing in the sun...and I know, I know everything will be all right” (169)
I really have to praise Dean for his positivity and attitude towards life. After all those crappy things that happened to him, he still sees life under such a bright light. It’s impressive. This is one of the few traits that I think was admirable to the youth that the beat generation inspired.
“I was only myself, Sal Paradise, sad, strolling in this violet dark, this unbearably sweet night, wishing I could exchange worlds with the happy, true-hearted, ecstatic Negroes of America” (164)
I really liked this quote, because it is kind of tragically beautiful. The writing just seems to stand out amongst all the other parts because it is so good. It’s deep and actually gives you a lot to think about. It also shows slightly Kerouac’s viewpoint on black people, although you can’t really tell if he’s racist or not, but it’s interesting that he looks up to them. Perhaps it is because they have more direction in life than he has - at least they know their everyday tasks - and are true to what they do and do it fully.
"'Why yass,' said Dean, and then realized I was serious and looked at me out of the corner of his eye for the first time, for I'd never committed myself before with regard to his burdensome existence, and that look was the look of a man weighing his chances at the last moment before the bet" (Kerouac 172).
ReplyDeleteThis section shows a change in who would be called the two main characters in the novel, Sal and Dean. Although they had been together as friends for a very long time, It is only now that we get the sense that they actually cared about one another. This section changes the characters' relationship completely.
"One of the younger ones detached herself from motherlike elders and came to me fast "Hello Joe!" and suddenly aw it wasn't Joe and ran back blushing. I wished I were Joe." (164)
ReplyDeleteSal says this as he walks through an old neighborhood of "Mexican and negro homes". He says as mentioned in an earlier quote, he wishes he were a minority. Not only that though, we see here that he just wished for a place to belong. He wants to belong to one place where people know his name but he is constantly moving and that is why he doesn't have a sense of home. I get a sense that at this time he begins to feel like a tourist. He doesn't have his own home to show people he only has the homes of others to be a spectator of.
"He trailed her around town. He wanted absolute proof she was a whore.He loved her, he sweated over her."(167)
ReplyDeleteI think this quote embodies dean and his actions quite well, I love the contrast in the emotions between thinking Marylou is a whore and loving her. He needs to believe that she is a whore because that is how his brain will let him get over this controlling love that he has had for her. Dean has some of the strangest ways of dealing with and showing his love. This quote only furthers that statement to me. Additionally, the way the two ideas simply flow together is characteristic of spontaneous prose, Kerouac and his style are shown in this as well.
"Then I knew I loved her so much I wanted to hill her." (167)
ReplyDeleteThis quote basically shows the visage of Dean Moriarty. It also shows how 'mad' he is which embodies the Beat Generation. I found that this quote is oxymoronic..If that's the word. That's why I liked it and it was ironically interesting how Dean described Marylou.
"It was probably the pivotal point of our friendship when he realized that I had actually spent some hours thinking about him and his troubles, and he was trying to place that in his tremendously involved and tormented mental categories," (172).
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, Dean is somewhat egocentric and solitary, and Sal seems like one of the few people that actually knows Dean for who he is. When Dean realizes this, it sort of breaks this ego that he built for himself.